1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and improved container cap having an external bead. More particularly, the invention relates to such a cap used to close a neck of a bottle such as that type installed in water dispensers. The cap has an external bead having at least three advantages. One is that it provides a means to hold a dust cap or plastic shrink wrap fitting over the top of the closure. Another is that the bead seals against a flange of a dispenser when the bottle with cap intact is installed in such dispenser. Third is that it assists a water bottle delivery truck driver in gripping the bottle and prevents it from slipping from his grasp.
2. Description of Related Art
Caps which seal on five-gallon water bottles and the like have been used for many years. Representative caps are shown in the following U.S. patents owned by assignee: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,392,860; 3,392,862; 3,840,137; 4,911,316. The present invention differs from such prior art caps, among other reasons, in that it has a flange on the exterior of the skirt which may be engaged by a dust cover which fits over the top of the cap and prevents contamination of the cap during transportation and storage.
Dispensers for water traditionally have required that the closure be removed from the bottle before it is installed in a dispenser. However, recently there have been proposals to construct dispensers in such manner that the cap is not removed prior to installation. On the contrary, either the cap is punctured or a valve in the cap is opened, permitting the water to be discharged with the cap still on the neck of the bottle. Accordingly another advantage of the external bead of the present invention is that it is so constructed that it may form a watertight seal against a flange or other portion of the dispenser to seal the cap (and thereby the container) from unintentional leakage. Cap constructions of the type mentioned in this paragraph of this specification include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,421,146 and 4,699,188, upon which the present invention is an improvement.